Open our Eyes

I come before you, Father God, humbled. I enter into your presence, which is LOVE and healing wholeness. And there, Lord, I am convicted of the ways I have not been obedient to your call. I ask for the forgiveness that you have promised, if I come to you. I acknowledge I am wounded. And, therefore, I have hurt others. Stir my heart, now, to see where I need to ask the forgiveness of others. Urge me to seek that forgiveness, Father.Make me aware of grudges I hold, and help me release them. In your love, God, bring forward my needs for healing. Only you can heal me Lord, and make me white as snow.
Father, you are a loving God. You know no boundaries, and your love is vast and deep. You are faithful. You are powerful. You are God.
I thank you. Open my heart to needs of people I see daily – and open my eyes to the needs of people I choose not to see. Open my mind to people too far away to see. Urge me to pray for them every day, to disrupt my comfortable routine to help them. Put a thirst in the hearts of each one of us to serve one another….to reach out to those in need of love, support, encouragement, justice. Lord, we give you thanks that you first loved us, even before we opened our eyes to you. You shelter us and provide for our every need. Your grace amazes us, and your mercies overwhelm us. Through the power of Christ Jesus, may we be the arms that shelter one another. In Jesus’ sweet name. Amen

Advent Thoughts

Advent is coming to a close, and my heart has been preparing for Christ to come anew. The weeks of planning, and days of preparation are now mostly done. The tree is trimmed and the house is decorated with familiar Christmas things... the frig is filled with food, gifts lovingly wrapped and under the tree....it is almost time for all the kids to come "home for the holidays!" How I love having the "kids" home to celebrate Christmas! I was praying this morning, giving thanks for God's blessings on our family, and praying that our home would be filled with His presence as we gather together to celebrate the birth of Christ. All of our gifts and traditions are an expression of the joy and love that He first gave us. I can't wait to share all of this with them. It all starts with worship on Christmas Eve, and the remembering of the story...giving thanks for the gift so generously given.
Matthew 2:9-11
“9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”

Open My Heart to Jesus

     Each morning this Christmas season, I have pondered whether or not I am giving room to Jesus in my day.  As I read my advent devotional, the details of my day crowded in.....the responsibilities at school, the people I wanted to contact, the Christmas to-dos at school, for family, for friends.  Then, in my car, the music of worship, wooing my mind to be more yielding to your mind for it all, God. More asking you to take over and bring your priorities into my day...making more room for Jesus.  Now, the gift of vacation time, and more time to spend with family and friends....time to focus on the shopping and wrapping and planning.  Still, where is Jesus in it?  Is Jesus in the extra smile, the extra kindness to a stranger, the touch sent to a friend?  Is Jesus in the gift bag given to a homeless man on the corner, or a shoebox of gifts shipped to Peru?  Is Jesus in my heart as I consider how to share His message with an unbelieving friend? As I celebrate the birth with my family?  Is it enough?
      How can I ever put into words what you mean to me?  Loving Father.  Abba, Daddy.  Rabboni, Teacher.  Saving Grace.  Friend and Counselor.  You are my life, my deepest everything, my foundation.  You make me whole, you transform me, you stretch me, you grow me.  You put hope in my heart, you calm my mind, you quiet my hurts, and you light up my life. After so many years of loving you, how can I begin to share the complexity of all you have done in me and through me?
     Your answer is simple, Father God.  Your answer is a babe, announced by angels, born humbly, and welcomed by the marginalized shepherds.  Loved, adored, worshiped, despised and denied, He grew to teach of that love and share that love with us...the first Chritmas gift, sacrificial, the unearned gift of grace. Is our heart open to receive?  Are we stuck on establishing if the turnin is scientifically proven to be real? Does it matter? Faith is the key to open the heart, and joy is the gift.  May we be the child, eager to receive the gift of love and grace once again. May the shine on our face be like an angel, sharing the message of that love with everyone we meet today. 

Hope in Tough Times

Lord, as we approach tomorrow and the holiday of Thanksgiving, there are many who cry out for help, from the place of despair. Bad news comes at us from all directions. The whole world is filled with conflict and economic depression. Families in our towns struggle to meet their physical and emotional needs. For many, there seems to be no hope. Others of us are blessed with warm homes and food on the table. Some of us have homes filled with reminders of your love. I thank you, Lord, for the abundance that is mine. I pray that you will use what I have to reach out to others. I pray that you will use the love you have given me to shine your light to others, both near and far. You have a purpose here, Lord. Let your Word speak. Let it do your work:

Psalm 4
6 "There are many who say, 'Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!'
7 You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.
8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety."

Grateful

Lord, Jesus, I am grateful.  My thankful heart overflows with gratitude for all you have done in my life,  the blessings you have given, the grace you have offered, and the availability of your presence to me. You have opened my heart to worship you, which is the greatest joy of my life, and you have given me the desires of my heart.  Yet, I was made to live for you, and I am an infant in that.  During this time of thanksgiving and this advent season, I pray you will continue to open my heart to others.  Open my eyes to see those around me, so that I reflect your love and your acceptance. May I show justice more and more every day in your world. Heal my heart. Restore my broken image of myself, so that I have the vision to see others as you would see them.
Mark 32-33 "The scribe said to Him, 'Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is one, and there is no one else besides Him; and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength,  and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.'”

Speaking Without Stopping

Back to School Night is finally over, and the basic organizational pieces are in place in Room 13! I have stayed home today to breathe deeply and rest my way out of a little illness. With the giftt of time, after the season of busyness (ok, craziness!!) I finally took the time to listen to a CD sermon from August, that I picked up a couple of weeks ago. I am inspired by the words of the apostles, "We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard," and the call to action. I ask your prayers, now that my days may come back to equilibrium, Lord, that I would thirst for getting into the Word on a daily basis again, and that I, too, will be unable to stop speaking about what I have seen and heard. Thinking about serving and surrendering to Him, is so different from actually prioritizing it and doing it! I know what I am to do, yet I do not do it, letting myself be trapped by the duties of the day. Lord, do what only you can do, in me. "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant, Jesus." Acts 4:29-30

Singing to Jesus

"Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts.
He is our great Redeemer.
Sing to Jesus, Honor His name.
Sing of His faithfulness, pouring His life out unto death

Come you weary and He will give you rest
Come you who mourn, lay on His breast
Christ who died, risen in Paradise
Giver of mercy, Giver of Life"
(by Fernando Ortega) 

Lord, my redeemer and life, how I need you!   I fail to do the things you want me to do, and I do the things I ought not do!  I take my own path, spending my hours and days as I would have them.  I fail to give you my time....even when I think I am!  I decieve myself. Your blessings on my life are so many and so rich.  I thank you for time to rest and gather my strength, and for time with my family. I thank you for my husband and his faithfulness to me.  I praise you, Lord. I long for you...you who are always here.